Rejected By My Alpha Mate

Chapter 7

The battle is a blur of snarls, flashes of light, and the metallic tang of blood. My blade sings as it cuts through the thick air, striking a rogue that lunges too close. The momentum drives me backward a step, but I plant my feet and press on.

Selene moves like a storm, golden light spilling from her hands as she takes down two rogues in one sweeping motion. Her power is mesmerizing, raw and unrelenting, but it’s clear even she’s being pushed to her limits.

“Ariana, focus on the archway!” she shouts, her voice cutting through the chaos. “Protect it at all costs!”

I glance toward the stone platform, its glowing symbols pulsating with a faint rhythm. It feels alive, as though it’s reacting to the fight. The hum grows louder with every passing second, the air thick with an energy I can’t fully understand.

A snarl pulls me back to the moment as a rogue charges from my left. I twist, raising my blade just in time to deflect its strike. The impact sends a sharp jolt through my arms, but I hold steady, driving the creature back with a swift counterattack.

Damien fights beside me, his movements slower but no less determined. He manages to disarm a rogue with a quick s***h, but I can see the strain in his eyes. Blood drips from his reopened wound, staining the ground beneath him.

“You need to fall back,” I shout, my voice tight with worry.

“Not happening,” he growls, ducking under another attack. “I said I’ve got your back, and I meant it.”

Before I can argue, a rogue leaps toward the platform, its claws extended. My heart lurches as I realize its intent.

“No!” I sprint toward it, adrenaline surging through me. I don’t think—I just act, slamming into the rogue mid-air. We crash to the ground, its weight pinning me for a brief moment before I manage to roll away.

It snarls, lunging for me again, but this time I’m ready. My blade finds its mark, piercing its chest. The rogue lets out a final, guttural sound before collapsing in a heap.

I don’t have time to catch my breath. Another rogue is already closing in, its eyes glowing with dark malice.

Selene appears beside me, her light flaring brightly. With a swift motion, she hurls a golden arc of energy at the rogue, sending it flying into the ruins' outer wall.

“We can’t hold them off forever,” she says, her voice urgent. “The ritual must begin now.”

“What?” I blink at her, my chest heaving. “I don’t even know what to do!”

“The ruins will guide you,” Selene says, her gaze steady. “You’re connected to them through your bloodline. Trust your instincts, Ariana.”

I glance at Damien, who nods weakly. “She’s right. We’ll keep them off you.”

Every part of me wants to protest, to argue that I’m not ready, that I can’t possibly bear the weight of this responsibility. But deep down, I know there’s no other choice.

Taking a deep breath, I step onto the stone platform. The moment my feet touch its surface, the symbols blaze to life, their golden light illuminating the ruins. A wave of warmth rushes through me, almost overwhelming in its intensity.

The air shifts, growing heavier, and a low, resonant hum fills the clearing. The platform’s glow spreads outward, creating a barrier of light that holds the remaining rogues at bay.

Selene stands at the edge of the barrier, her hands raised as she channels her energy into keeping it intact. “The platform is responding to you,” she calls out. “Let it guide you!”

I close my eyes, focusing on the strange pull in my chest. It’s like a thread, invisible but unyielding, drawing me deeper into the connection with the ruins. My heartbeat syncs with the pulsing light, and for a moment, I feel as though I’m no longer standing on the platform but floating in a sea of golden energy.

Images flash through my mind memories that aren’t mine. A towering figure bathed in light, standing against a storm of shadows. A great battle, the clash of blades and the roar of wolves echoing through the ages. And finally, the first alpha, his eyes filled with sorrow as he places his hand on the very archway before me.

His voice echoes in my mind, faint but clear: “Only the chosen can mend what was broken.”

I open my eyes, the weight of his words settling over me. My hands tremble as I reach out to the archway, my fingers brushing against the glowing symbols.

A surge of power floods through me, almost too much to bear. My knees buckle, but I force myself to stay upright. The symbols shift and swirl under my touch, forming patterns that feel both ancient and familiar.

“Ariana!” Damien’s voice breaks through the haze. “Hurry!”

I glance over my shoulder to see the barrier flickering, the rogues pressing against it with renewed ferocity. Selene’s golden light dims, her breaths coming in short, labored gasps.

“I can’t hold it much longer!” she warns.

I turn back to the archway, my resolve hardening. Placing both hands on the stone, I let the energy flow through me, guiding it toward the symbols.

The light intensifies, and the hum grows louder, rising to a crescendo. The air vibrates with raw power, and I feel the ruins themselves awaken, their ancient magic surging to life.

With a final, desperate push, I pour everything I have into the connection. The archway glows brighter than the sun, its light engulfing the clearing.

The rogues let out agonized howls, their forms disintegrating into shadow as the magic consumes them. The barrier pulses one last time before fading, leaving the ruins eerily silent.

I collapse to my knees, the energy leaving me as quickly as it came. My vision blurs, and for a moment, I feel like I’m floating.

Then Selene’s voice reaches me, soft and steady. “You did it, Ariana. The seal is restored.”

But as her words sink in, so does the weight of what I’ve just done. The power, the memories, the responsibility—it’s all mine now.

And I know this is far from over.